This invention relates to a device and method for determining compatible colors in accordance with harmonious color combinations appearing in nature.
Various methods and devices have been suggested in the prior art for determining harmonious color combinations.
Some such devices involve determining proper color combinations based on the solar spectrum associated with the chromatic musical scale. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,308,512, 1,467,032, and 1,564,743.
Other devices have been proposed for use in selecting compatible colors for cosmetic purposes. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,561,850 and 5,311,293.
Japanese Patent No. 1859699 issued to the present inventor on Jul. 27, 1994, describes a color matrix chart divided into four zones by an x and y axis with a first zone containing yellow and harmonious colors, the second zone containing red and harmonious colors, the third zone containing green and harmonious colors, and the fourth zone containing blue and harmonious colors. A fifth zone, called the central zone, is located at the juncture of the x and y axes, and contains colors which are in harmony with the colors in all four of the other zones. The yellow and red zones contain colors which stimulate excitement and the green and blue zones contain colors which are sedative. The colors are selected in accordance with what appears to the human eye to be visually harmonious.
All such schemes for selecting harmonious colors are based on human input, and do not provide color combinations pleasing to everyone.
It has been observed that color combinations found in nature, such as in flowers and other plants, are always pleasing to the human eye, and are therefore superior to manmade color harmony systems.
It is an object of this invention to provide a device for capturing nature""s harmonious color combinations to thereby make it easier and more reliable to select color combinations in accordance with natural color selection.
The invention is a set of color gages used for selecting, or teaching how to select, harmonious colors in accordance with those found in nature.
It has been found that in nature there are eight basic colors found in plants, the colors being red, pink, yellow, green, purple, white, brown, or blue. It has also been found that the different colors and different shades or hues of each such color may be placed into one of three groups called Aero, Solis, or Aqua, based upon the appearance of such colors together in nature.
The gages contain a plurality of colored segments, the segments representing the Aero, Solis, and Aqua versions of each color, with the exception of Aqua Brown and Solis Blue which are not found in nature.
Preferably the gages are circular, and preferably each gage contains segments representing the Aero, Aqua and/or Solis versions of two colors.